Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-05-08
G A T A r r Fl

THE TERM CATARRHT ~ aP-
Il piled to peculiar disorder of the
nostrils ana adjacent parts, which prevailE
70 an alarming extent and is productive OF
very serious consequences.
Ihe most prominent and characteristic
features Is morbid discharge from the
mead, varying IN its nature at different
times.
In some there Is an almost constant flow
OF clear. acid fluid, but oftener an offensive,
purultnt, or muco.purulent, gieenish-yel-
low matter Is secreted, which accumulates
In the nostrils or drops iuto the throat.
uecessitating its frequent removal bv blow.
tng the nose or expectoTation aud often bv
BON processes. Sometimes patients feel as
though their Whole head was in state Of
rottenness, so great is the amount Of matter
discharged and so fettd Is Its odor Tne
patient is greatly annoyed by the constant
dropping into the throat OF the morbid
matter from the head, and as a recumbent
position ngturall~ favors the flow down
wa d, his rest is frequently disturb bed from
this cause. Many sufferers are Obliged to
lie with the head very much elevated In
order TO sleep with some degree of com
fort,
In others a tough, viscid aud offe nsiye
phlegm collects behind end above the soft
palate, in the passage between the throat
and head, adhering to the parts with gluish
tenacity. Its lodgment emtarrasses respf-
ratlcn and creates sensation OF iIrltatio II
and uneasiness In the affected locality.
which gives rise 10 a constant and almost
irres istible desire to relieve the discomfort
By drawing the mucous into the throat SO as
TO eject IL by the mouth This practice.
popularly known as "hawking, " Is chsrac.
teristc of catarrh, and proves as embar.
RAISING to the one Affected as it is disagree
able to those around him
Again, the offensive matter haracns and
deposits Itself on the membrane in the
shape OF dry, hard concreions, which are
discharged by way of the nostrils or throst
IN Jumps or fragments Of deep green tint
m n inn etatf,
late to such an extent as to form a regular
plug in the nose. which obstructs breathing
and produces serious discomfort So firmly
do these incrustations adhere to the point
of attachn ent that their removal lally
requites the most violent efforts; not unfre-
quently they have to be torn from the mem.
brane. Occasionally solid cast of notable
size is expelled. on which there are gener-
ally traces of blood, but In some cases the
cast presents a tubular appearance, being
of exact shape of the nasal cavity This
condition is indicative of liberation, which
in time may destroy the bony structure of
the nose and produce subsequent fiatteu-
ing of hat organ.
Cases are occasionally met with in Witch
thick. viscid, Shiny secretiln Grats the
membrane of the nasal cavities and then
putrihes. giving rise to stencil which is
really overpowering and sufficiently fetid
to poison the atmosphere OF a whole room:
and there are others In which all the secre-
tions of the membrane are suspended, caus-
ing an unpleasant feeling Of dryness, hea&
and feverishness in the head and nose---a
condition popularity known as "Dry Ca
tarrh."
The disease speedily extends TO the air
cavities of the bones of the forehead and
face, giving rise to distressing sensation
of heavy weight or compression over the
forehead, especially in the region above
and between the eyes, and to a feeling of
iulluess, heat, Irritation, soreness or pain
in the nostrils near the root of the nose, as
well as in the upper part Of the throat, above
and behind the soft palate. Sometimes
there is pain obstinately fixed In some par
uculsI part, as in the temple, on the top of
the head, at the back of the neck, or behind
the orbits, and occasionally psin manitests
itself in the face OF so severe a character
that II is frequently mistaken for neuralgia
The breath is ALWAYS tainted and at times
assumes an exceeding fetid and sickentng
odor. In some cases 1t becomes so revolt
ingly offensive as 10 render the sufferer
| an object OF disgust TO himself I as well as to
others.
The nasal membrane is thickened and
congested. causing the nose to be stopped
up, sometimes on one side, sometimes on
the other, and often on both, giving rise to
a disagreeable stuffy sensation in the head,
ana occasionlng violent and prUlonhed
paroxysms of sneezing.
The voice is weak, indistinct and husky,
| or OF nasal character, displaying sort of
| smiling quality. Oftentimes there is a con-
tinuous hoarseaess aud discordance. There
| is also sense OF irritation in the throat,
| and frequent attempts 10 clear the parts OF
phlegm, producing the sound Them" more
or less forcibly. In some cases patients
complain of au uncomfortable feeling of
fullness, or choky sensation in the throat,
and in others Of a distressing and almost
constant dryness. for the temporary relief
OF which they have to swallow frequently.
Others. again, speak of constant bad or
nauseous taste ia The mouth or throat.
The stomach generally suffers more or
less ana becomes weak and irritable; the
appetite is capricious and nearly always bad
in the morning, The patienti, languid, un-
able to perform mental or physical labor
with the usual facility; is nervous, de
pressed in spirits, at times fearful, timid,
agitsted and inclined to drowsiness and
sleep, the memory weakened and perman-
ent Impairment threatened.
The mueus membrane soon becomes NOR
Dldly sensitive TO unfavorable influences,
and In spite of the utmost care becomes af-
feeted from the slightest causes. so that at
last breath of wind upon the lining. of the
nose or throat becomes prod ctive OF cold,
and gives rise to serious disturbances of the
respiratory organs. Thus the patient Is sub
leet 70 frequent and repeated colds. each
attack aegravating the disease by giving II
a new impulse and involving a larger ex-
tent or surface than Its predecessor. In this
manner the difficulty spreads from organ to
organ, invading the throat. larynx. trachea
and bronchial tubes, until, eneroaching
further and further, 1t reaches the finer
ram ihcations of the bronchi when but a
slight impulse is required TO send 1t to the
lungs. Catarrh may, and often does. affect
containing a mucus membrane, such as the
stomach, bowels, kidneys, etc.
by the employ ment OF proper inhaletions
In the form OF medicated vapor (not steam
or spray we are able to produce Immediate
aud direct action upon the diseased surface
In the pharynx and nasal passages for air
will fnd.ts way into the most remote and
intricate cavities, where it is utterly I'M pos
sible to make fluid applications BY these
means every case can be cured.
ozENA.
0z@na is the professional or technical
name given to the advanced form of catarrh
in which uloerarion ha, eaten through the
membrane lining of the nose to the cartil-
age OF the bone. Any case of catarrh may
end ia ozgna, but 1t most frequently occurs
in those who are naturally scrofulons. The
discharge takes place through the nostrils
or through the throat, and is generally of
yellcwish or greenish yellow color, freqent-
ly tlnged with blood, and almost always at
tended by an offensive smell. In the Ian.
guage of Dr.. Wood, of Philadelphia, "rhe
disease is ore of the most obdurate and
disagreeable which the physician has to
encounter. In bad cases the breath OF the
patient becomes so revolving as to isolate
him from society and to render him an OBJ.
ject of disgust even to himself" In some
slough off, leaving deep, unhealthy ulcers,
which secrete bloody matter and are ex.
tremely difficult to heal. After oznna has
continued for some time the sense of smell
usually becomes impaired and often lost.
Deafness is one OF the most common conse-
quences, and results from its extension
through the eustachian tnbes to the Internal
ear. Pains In the head and over the frontal
sinuses, importing memory, aud even in
sanity frequently springs frem its extension
to the brain. The greatest danger. however.
because the most common, is that it will
extend downward aud affect the lungs. In
most cases OF pulmonary disease catarrh is
stances IL causes large share OF the na-
tients discomfort.
Besides these grave consequences, ali of
which are liable to spring from scrofulous
catairn or ozDna. there are others which, IL
less dangerous, are sufiiciently unnleasant
IL nnnaA AianS nraat IN Ia 1. ~ ..--.l.